GOLD IN CANTERBURY.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 508, 25 May 1869, Page 3

GOLD IN CANTERBURY.

The following account of the discovery of gold bearing quartz reefs at the Opuha gorge has been furnished by a correspondent of the Lyttelton Times : —Two men started from the Orari gorge station about six weeks since, and were away about five weeks seeking for gold up the Opuha gorge, behind Fox's Peak, and they were driven back by the snow, or they would have remained throughout the winter. They say they have seen enough to encourage them to return there in September next, when the snow will have melted; until then it will be very unwise for people to go prospecting. One of the men is an old Yietorian gold digger; he was there in 1852; the other man has worked on the Orari station for the last four years ; both are trustworthy men. The country behind Eox's Peak, at the back of the run occupied by Messrs Rayne Brothers, is said to be composed entirely of slate, with very large veins of quartz from three feet thick and upwards. They say they found gold almost everywhere they tried. At the mouth of the Opuha Gorge it was very fine, but it became coarser and coarser as they went up the stream. The largest sized nugget found was about three grains, but the colour was to be seen almost every-

where. There is wood in abundance up the stream. The prospect for quartz-reefing is said to be far better than on any diggings yet discovered in Otago, and almost equal to any seen in Victoria. The " Victorian " says the quartz-reefs in Auckland are not to be compared to these reefs for size. The quartz-reefs were not tried as the men had no tools with them for the purpose, but he says wherever there are these quartz-reefs there is sure to be a good goldfield. The " Victorian " says his idea of the field is, that it will support 4,000 or 5,000 people. J